Bill Paxton's family files wrongful death lawsuit

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Twister and Titanic actor Bill Paxton's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and heart surgeon Ali Khoynezhad.

E! News said Paxton's wife and children filed the court documents Friday.

The family alleges the doctor -- who left Cedars-Sinai shortly after Paxton's death -- and the hospital provided the Training Day and Big Love star with "negligent diagnosis, management, and treatment," People magazine reported.

"Bill Paxton and his family trusted the physicians and staff at this medical facility, but instead Cedars-Sinai betrayed their trust," the family's attorney Bruce Broillet said in a statement. "The surgeon's actions resulted in this tragic and preventable death."

"State and federal privacy laws prevent us from commenting about patient care without written authorization," the hospital said in its own statement to People when asked to comment on the lawsuit.

Paxton, 61, died at the hospital nearly a year ago. He suffered a catastrophic stroke after undergoing valve replacement and aortic aneurysm repair surgery.